Here’s what Donald Trump really believes

Donald Trump is dominating early polls in the contest for the GOP presidential nomination. Trump's fame and personality make him an unusual candidate, but his views on policy are similar to many of those in the Republican primary field. Here's a look at where Trump stands on the issues.

Global warming

Trump has repeatedly called global warming "a total hoax." Likewise, former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Penn.) has called climate change "a beautifully concocted scheme." Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) has compared the scientific consensus on global warming to the ancient view of a flat earth at the center of the universe. "Humans are not responsible for climate change," Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) said earlier this year, adding that humans might have contributed in only a small way to global warming.

Trade

Trump opposes the trade deal President Obama is negotiating in the Pacific, arguing the agreement will put American manufacturers at a disadvantage. He's also said he thinks Japan is manipulating the price of the yen to help exporters there, and the deal should include language on currency manipulation.

The Republican field is divided on this question. Trump is in agreement with Cruz, who at one point supported the bill, changed his position and voted against giving Obama expanded authority to pursue the agreement. Other candidates, such as Santorum and former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, have said they are skeptical of the deal.

Still, GOP policymakers generally agree with Obama on the importance of free and expanded trade, and Republicans in Congress voted in favor of pursuing the Pacific agreement.

Same-sex marriage

Trump has said he supports "traditional marriage," as does the rest of the Republican field (although some, including Bush and Rubio, have argued that since the Supreme Court has settled the issue, conservatives should move on to other debates).

"What do you say to a lesbian who's married, or a gay man who is married, who says, 'Donald Trump, what's traditional about being married three times?'" Jake Tapper asked Trump on CNN's "State of the Union" earlier this year. (Trump's current wife, Melania, is his third.)

Monetary policy

Trump has argued that the Federal Reserve's efforts to stimulate the economy would cause inflation, and that any improvement in stock prices was just an illusion. "From a stock standpoint, you're creating basically false numbers. You're devaluing the dollar," he said in 2012. Former Texas governor Rick Perry has also accused the Fed of printing money and recklessly debasing the national currency. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) predicted the United States will replay the history of the Weimar Republic, the German state where massive inflation occurred between the world wars.

In fact, inflation has been subdued for the past seven years, remaining well below the Federal Reserve's target of 2 percent. Some economists even argue that target should be raised.

Abortion

The GOP candidates uniformly oppose abortion, and as of 2011, Trump is no exception. That was when he abandoned his previous support for reproductive rights.

"People change their positions all the time, the way they change their wives," Michael Cohen, Trump's special counsel, told National Journal at the time.

Immigration

Trump's views on this topic are by now well-known. "People are flowing into this country by the millions, not by the thousands, by the millions, and destroying the fabric of the country," Donald Trump told Iowa radio host Steve Deace earlier this year. "They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists," he later said of Mexican immigrants. He also told The Washington Post that as president, he would erect a wall along the Mexican border, which he said "would be very effective" in deterring immigrants from entering the country.

"A wall is better than fencing," he said. "It's more secure. It's taller."

Contrary to Trump's claim that millions of people are entering the country, the data suggest that more people are leaving than entering the country across the southwest border, and the population of undocumented immigrants has been falling since 2007. Additionally, immigrants are less likely than the population as a whole to commit crimes, research suggests.

Most Republican candidates argue that in general immigration is good for the country, although some, including Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, have said the United States should allow in fewer immigrants (including those who enter legally). And most, including Rubio, agree with Trump on the basic point that improving security on the border should be Congress's priority.

There are differences of opinion between Trump and his rivals. He expresses himself more colorfully, too. Yet there is little indication so far that he would govern the country much differently if elected president than they would.

Max EhrenfreundMax Ehrenfreund wrote for Wonkblog and compiled Wonkbook, a daily policy newsletter. He left The Washington Post in July 2017. Follow